McDonald's All-American Isaac Hamilton (4) drives to the basket during an all-atar game at the United Center in Chicago. / Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports

by Eric Prisbell, USA TODAY Sports

by Eric Prisbell, USA TODAY Sports

Isaac Hamilton, a McDonald's All-American who last fall signed a national letter of intent to play for UTEP, will not be allowed to play for UCLA this season because his appeal to void his letter of intent was not granted by the NLI appeals committee, UCLA announced Thursday.

Hamilton will still be allowed to participate in practice this season. And he will be able to play as a sophomore at UCLA in 2014-15.

Hamilton became a prized recruit for UTEP coach Tim Floyd when he signed to play for the school last November. But Hamilton, a former standout at St. John Bosco High in Bellflower, Calif., attempted this summer to get a release from the letter of intent. Hamilton had said that he wanted to play closer to home because his grandmother was ill.

Floyd said that UTEP took a "stance for the good of the profession" in not releasing Hamilton from the letter of intent.

"When the forefathers put together these rules, they did it because they knew there were implications with buyer's remorse and that people should honor their commitments," Floyd said. "And that is where our university has chosen to make its stance â?¦

"You recruit guys for three years, spend a lot of money, a lot of time, and you find out in July that they opted to stay home. We have to address those questions. He has a right to appeal but he also has a right not to sign a national letter of intent. If he didn't want to sign a national letter of intent, he could have opted out. We'd have no issues. But he chose to sign it."

Hamilton's initial appeal this summer with the national letter of intent committee failed. He enrolled at UCLA in late September. And now he will sit out this season after his second appeal failed.

Hamilton averaged 23.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and five assists as a high school senior.